Then, I read a letter in the community issues forum "comments" section from one of the business owners who has already been the brunt of nastiness incited by his overt opposition to the Byway.
A portion of Pierre Bordenave's letter reads:
I personally have experienced the willingness of people in our community to vandalize my property, violate my privacy, threaten me over the phone, attack the people who I associate with, and even target my son in an "anything is fair game" approach to silence me. All through cowardly anonymity. I recognize and accept that I set myself up as a focal point by stating openly what hundreds of people in our community want to say but were not willing to subject themselves, their families, friends, and businesses to the hateful acts of some. What I did not recognize was the length that some were willing to go to hurt and destroy anyone to try and suppress an opposing opinion. It has not been successful. It is not successful. It will never be successful. I am willing to defend anyone's right to agree or disagree with me just as strongly as I am willing to state my right to agree or not agree with others. That is what it means to be truly American. Not just saying the words and pledging the allegiance to the flag when in public.
What will be next for our local proud flag wavers who thump their chests and intimidate people from their freedom to question what every American has the right to question? Perhaps if you do not hang a cross in your window, you should be boycotted because you are not Christian enough. Or maybe you should be forced to put a specific candidates political sign in your window as proof that you would not vote for someone with different skin color. Or maybe something as minor as declaring whether you were for or against the Panhandle State Bank's building will get you blacklisted and boycotted.
~~~~
Apparently this was discussed on a local radio show yesterday. I'm sorry to have missed the forum because I have a strong opinion and this one has nothing to do with the byway. I favor the byway, always have and probably always will.
What I do not favor, however, is the need for passionate opponents to any controversial issue to resort to measures beyond the realm of civilized public discussion to get their point across. I also believe that the anonymous among this world are cowardly; if they don't have the decency to attach their names to their thoughts, those opinions stand no ground.
I've seen this behavior in a number of arenas during my lifetime, and all I've got to say is that these people's efforts do nothing more to their opponents than to cause them to dig their heels in even further. I can remember distinctly, years ago, when I publicly expressed opposition to a forced annexation which took our farm into the City of Sandpoint.
That issue divided the town, like no other that I can remember, not even the byway question. The difference was that the annexation was a more immediate issue, affecting directly the lives of those who paid taxes on property desired by the city for addition to its tax coffers. The controversy, by byway standards, was short-lived. That, in itself, made it more intense than the byway discussion which floats in and out of the public debate.
At the time of the annexation issue, I distinctly remember standing in front of an English class, going about my business of teaching English when the child of pro-annexation parents suddenly popped off in class, mocking my involvement in the annexation opposition movement.
His comments were out of line and inappropriate to whatever we were doing at the time. As a teacher, however, I had to stand a fine line and just keep my mouth shut while allowing him to spout out his rather pointed and demeaning comments directed toward me. It was a difficult moment, but I lived through it.
I've always believed in respecting others' opinions and in not pushing mine on others, especially if I'm aware they're not welcome. I also do not believe in aggressively demeaning others for what they think.
I learned a long time ago----during what we considered kind of a crazy curriculum day presentation: you are now what you were then. While watching the presentation, we at first mocked the ever-repeated thought, simply because of the annoying presenter on the video. The more I thought about statement, however, the more it made sense.
All humans are defined and driven by their unique personal experiences in life. Therefore, it's pretty hard for all humans to have exactly the same unique personal experiences in life, so, with that in mind, we can see that they "ain't gonna" have exactly the same point of view on all issues. They have reasons for their opinions, and we have reasons for ours. And, for that reason alone, it's important to respect them for what they think----not demean them.
With that in mind, doing physical and emotional harm to others, anonymously, seems more than unfair. I adamantly disagree with Pierre Bordenave's stand on the byway, and I adamantly disagree with NICAN. I have my reasons because, like many who yearn for a byway, I get sick and tired of getting stuck in downtown traffic.
I have also grieved inwardly while watching my share of beautiful, pristine settings where I've lived my entire life destroyed by what we call progress. In my mind and because of my personal experiences, those open expanses of farm land and tree-covered mountainsides, now dotted by metal buildings and high-priced mansions, WERE once just as pretty as Sand Creek. The bottom line is that this is going to continue to happen as long as people choose to inhabit this earth.
The byway issue goes on, but let's not stoop to uncivilized and inappropriate methods to intimidate people into changing their minds. Let's respect those who disagree with us and hope that some day, through civilized, open discussion where names are attached to the opinion holders, this issue and others on which we disagree can be resolved.
Note: Happy birthday to Mangy Moose aka Jenny: (www.mangymooseacres.blogspot.com)
What I do not favor, however, is the need for passionate opponents to any controversial issue to resort to measures beyond the realm of civilized public discussion to get their point across. I also believe that the anonymous among this world are cowardly; if they don't have the decency to attach their names to their thoughts, those opinions stand no ground.
I've seen this behavior in a number of arenas during my lifetime, and all I've got to say is that these people's efforts do nothing more to their opponents than to cause them to dig their heels in even further. I can remember distinctly, years ago, when I publicly expressed opposition to a forced annexation which took our farm into the City of Sandpoint.
That issue divided the town, like no other that I can remember, not even the byway question. The difference was that the annexation was a more immediate issue, affecting directly the lives of those who paid taxes on property desired by the city for addition to its tax coffers. The controversy, by byway standards, was short-lived. That, in itself, made it more intense than the byway discussion which floats in and out of the public debate.
At the time of the annexation issue, I distinctly remember standing in front of an English class, going about my business of teaching English when the child of pro-annexation parents suddenly popped off in class, mocking my involvement in the annexation opposition movement.
His comments were out of line and inappropriate to whatever we were doing at the time. As a teacher, however, I had to stand a fine line and just keep my mouth shut while allowing him to spout out his rather pointed and demeaning comments directed toward me. It was a difficult moment, but I lived through it.
I've always believed in respecting others' opinions and in not pushing mine on others, especially if I'm aware they're not welcome. I also do not believe in aggressively demeaning others for what they think.
I learned a long time ago----during what we considered kind of a crazy curriculum day presentation: you are now what you were then. While watching the presentation, we at first mocked the ever-repeated thought, simply because of the annoying presenter on the video. The more I thought about statement, however, the more it made sense.
All humans are defined and driven by their unique personal experiences in life. Therefore, it's pretty hard for all humans to have exactly the same unique personal experiences in life, so, with that in mind, we can see that they "ain't gonna" have exactly the same point of view on all issues. They have reasons for their opinions, and we have reasons for ours. And, for that reason alone, it's important to respect them for what they think----not demean them.
With that in mind, doing physical and emotional harm to others, anonymously, seems more than unfair. I adamantly disagree with Pierre Bordenave's stand on the byway, and I adamantly disagree with NICAN. I have my reasons because, like many who yearn for a byway, I get sick and tired of getting stuck in downtown traffic.
I have also grieved inwardly while watching my share of beautiful, pristine settings where I've lived my entire life destroyed by what we call progress. In my mind and because of my personal experiences, those open expanses of farm land and tree-covered mountainsides, now dotted by metal buildings and high-priced mansions, WERE once just as pretty as Sand Creek. The bottom line is that this is going to continue to happen as long as people choose to inhabit this earth.
The byway issue goes on, but let's not stoop to uncivilized and inappropriate methods to intimidate people into changing their minds. Let's respect those who disagree with us and hope that some day, through civilized, open discussion where names are attached to the opinion holders, this issue and others on which we disagree can be resolved.
Note: Happy birthday to Mangy Moose aka Jenny: (www.mangymooseacres.blogspot.com)
2 comments:
Marianne,
I would take issue with only one phrase: "as long as people choose to inhabit this earth". I'm sure you will agree with me that we are not here by "choice". We were given this incredible planet by our Creator. For now we have no "choice" to be anywhere else (other than gone). But whether we consider it a choice or an amazing gift, you ARE right that unfortunately such behavior will continue. Our response to such behavior is where we DO have a choice!
Helen
Point well taken, Helen. I stand appropriated edited. Thank you.
Marianne
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